nothing; when hard labor and exile were so easily distributed by the courts, it is obvious that only those were exiled by the administrative, against whom no palpable charge at all could be produced.* In short, the administrative exile became so scandalously extended during the reign of Alexander II., that, as soon as the Provincial Assemblies received some liberty of speech during the dictatorship of Loris-Melikoff, a long series of representations were addressed by the Assemblies to the emperor, asking for the immediate abolition of this kind of exile, and stig matizing in vigorous expressions this monstrous practice. It is known that nothing has been done, and, after having loudly announced its intention of pardoning the exiles, the government has merely nominated a commission which examined some of the cases, pardoned a few very few and appointed for the greater number a term of five to six years, when each

case will be re-examined.

We are afraid of giving them employment (wrote the Yeniseisk correspondent of the Russkiy Kurier), as we are afraid of being ourselves submitted to the supervision of the police..... It is sufficient to meet with an Administrative exile, or to exchange a few words with him, to be inscribed under the head of suspects.. The chief of a commercial undertaking has recently compelled his clerks to sign an engagement stating that they will not be acquainted with "politicals," nor greet them in the streets.

More than that, we read in 1880 in our forward a scheme for a law "to allow the papers that the ministry of finance brought common-law and political administrative exiles to carry on all kinds of trades, with the permission of the governor-general, which permission is to be asked in each special case." I do not know if this scheme has become law, but I know that formerly nearly all kinds of trade were prohibited to exiles, not to speak of the circumstance that to carry on many trades was quite impossible, the exiles being severely proOne will easily realize the conditions of hibited from leaving the town even for a these exiles if he imagines a student, or a few hours. Shall I describe, after this, girl from a well-to-do family, or a skilled the horrible, unimaginable misery of the workman, taken by two gendarmes to a exiles?" Without dress, without shoes, borough numbering a hundred houses and living in the nastiest huts, without any inhabited by a few Laponians or Russian occupation, they are mostly dying from hunters, by one or two fur-traders, by the consumption," was written to the Golos of priest, and by the police official. Bread is February 2, 1881. "Our administrative at famine prices; each manufactured arti- exiles are absolutely starving. Several of cle costs its weight in silver, and, of course, them, having no lodgings, were discovered there is absolutely no means of earning living in an excavation under the belleven a shilling. The government gives tower," wrote another to such exiles only four to eight roubles" Administrative exile simply means killcorrespondent. (eight to ten shillings) per month, and im- ing people by starvation," - such was the mediately refuses this poor pittance if the exile receives from his parents or friends discuss this subject. "It is a slow, but of our press when it was permitted to the smallest sum of money, be it even ten sure execution," wrote the Golos. roubles (17.) during twelve months. To give lessons is strictly forbidden, even if There were lessons to give, for instance to the stanovoy's children. Most of the exiles do not know manual trades. As to finding employment in some private office -in those boroughs where there are offices it is quite impossible:

One of the most characteristic cases out of those which became known by scores in 1881, is the following: In 1872, the Kursk nobility treated the governor of the province to a dinner. A big proprietor, M. Annenkoff, was entrusted with proposing a toast for the governor. He proposed it, but added in conclusion: Your Excellence, I drink your health, but I heartily wish that you would devote some more time to the affairs of your province.'

Next week a post-car with two gendarmes stopped at the door of his house; and without allowing him to see his friends, or even to bid a farewell to his wife, he was transported to Vyatka. It took six months of the most active applications to powerful persons at St. Petersburg, on behalf of his wife and the marshals of the Fatesh and Kursk nobility, to liberate him from this exile (Golos, Poryadok, etc., for February 20 and 21, 1881).

cry

And yet, misery is not the worst of the condition of the exiles. They are as a rule submitted to the most disgraceful treatment by the local authorities. For the smallest complaint addressed to newspapers, they are transferred to the remotest parts of eastern Siberia. Young girls, confined at Kargopol, are compelled to receive during the night the visits of drunken officials, who enter their rooms by violence, under the pretext of having the right of visiting the exiles at any time. At another place, the police officer compels the exiles to come every week to the police station, and "submits them to a visitation, together with street-girls." * And so on, and so on!

Such being the situation of the exiles in the less remote parts of Russia and

Golos, February 12, 1881.

and afterwards with the dirty Tunguses, as a good dog lying on the straw; sometimes they nourished me, sometimes they forgot." And, like the wife of Avvakum, we ask now again: "Ah, dear, how long, then, will these sufferings go on?" Centuries have elapsed since, and a whole hundred years of pathetic declamations about progress and humanitarian principles, all to bring us back to the same point where we were when the tsars of Moscow sent their adversaries to die in the toundras on the simple denunciation of a favorite.

And to the question of Avvakum's wife, repeated now again throughout Siberia, we have but one possible reply: No par tial reform, no change of men can ameliorate this horrible state of things; nothing short of a complete transformation of the fundamental conditions of Russian life. P. KRAPOTKINE.

Siberia, it is easy to conceive what it is in such places as Olekminsk, Verkhoyansk, or Nijne-kolymsk, in a hamlet situated at the mouth of the Kolyma, beyond the sixty-eighth degree of latitude, and having but one hundred and ninety inhabitants. For all these hamlets, consisting of a few houses each, have their exiles, their sufferers, buried there forever for the simple reason that there was no charge brought against them sufficient to procure a condemnation, even from a packed court. After having walked for months and months across snow-covered mountains, on the ice of the rivers, and in the toundras, they are now confined in these hamlets where but a few hunters are vegetating, always under the apprehension of dying from starvation. And not only in the hamlets: it will be hardly believed, but it is so a number of them have been confined to the ulusses, or encampments of the Yakuts, and they are living there under felt tents, with the Yakuts, side by side with people covered with the most disgusting skin diseases. "We live in the darkness," wrote one of them to his friends, taking advantage of some hunter going to Verkhoyansk, whence his letter takes ten months to reach Olekminsk; "we live in the darkness, and burn candles only for one hour and a half every day; they cost too dear. We have no bread, and eat only fish. Meat can be had at no price." Another says: "I write to you in a violent pain, due to periostosis. . . . I have asked to be transferred to a hospital, but without success. I do not know how long this torture will last; my only wish is to be freed from this pain. We are not allowed to see one another, although we are separated only by the distance of three miles. The crown allows us four roubles and fifty kopeks-long letter in the possession of the presnine shillings per month." A third exile ent compiler of this veracious history, wrote about the same time: "Thank you, that up to and even beyond the period of dear friends, for the papers; but I cannot the lamentable accident before mentioned, read them: I have no candles, and there and for which Mrs. Highty declares she are none to buy. My scurvy is rapidly made ample apology, the Hightys and progressing, and having no hope of being Tightys were the closest of friends. transferred, I hope to die in the course of Therefore the injury to the velvet train this winter." may be dismissed as irrelevant to the present inquiry.

"I hope to die in the course of this winter!" That is the only hope that an exile confined to a Yakut encampment under the sixty-eighth degree of latitude can cherish!

When reading these lines we are transported back at once to the seventeenth century, and seem to hear again the words of the proto-pope Avvakum: “And I remained there, in the cold block-house,

From Blackwood's Magazine. A VENDETTA.

How it began, who began it, when the first note of battle was sounded, what were the scene, place, and occasion of the first exchange of hostilities, remains to this day a mystery. Some are inclined to think that at a certain dinner party Mrs. Highty, who belongs to a notoriously short-sighted family, trod unwittingly and unwarily on Mrs. Tighty's long velvet tail as the latter lady was being conducted before her into the dining-room. But this theory would make the Highty faction decidedly the first aggressors. Now it is well known and even written in the chronicles of the Highty family,

vide a

But that a screw was loose somewhere between these two highly respected and hitherto united families was soon apparent to the most unobservant member of our Blankshire society. It may be necessary here to mention that Mrs. Tighty, being the daughter of a viscount, was naturally the guiding star of our dinner-parties, un less it chanced that a meteor in the per

It will be readily understood, therefore, that when it began to be seen that the two ladies declined to meet one another the relief was immense. Formerly it was thought to be a necessary compliment to the one to ask the other to bear her company, and hence all the tribulation which I have been describing. Now we were free from this obligation, and might eat our dinners and pass our evenings in comfort.

son of an actual peeress sailed for a brief | peace until they were both safely out of space across our firmament, or, as once the house. happened, that a Von appeared to contest the claim to precedence of the Hon. The perplexity and embarrassment into which we were all thrown by this last complication I shall never forget. We knew the touchiness of the real foreign aristocracy when there was any danger of their being confounded with the sham counts and countesses whom we would have repudiated as haughtily as themselves. But though there was no doubt about our having now to deal with a genuine article, there was no end of doubt as to its claims to rival in pedigree our own indigenous production. Under these puzzling circumstances we were everlastingly grateful to Mrs. Tighty for the graceful manner in which she at once abdicated in favor of the stranger, re-equal distinction must be provided for marking that the laws of hospitality must always supersede those of etiquette. This observation, especially as our German guest did not hear, or at least did not understand it, immediately relieved us from our dilemma, and also considerably increased Mrs. Tighty's popularity.

For we all liked her, much better than we liked Mrs. Highty, who, as a baronet's daughter, and holding second, though only second rank in our society, was a much more sulphurous element in the composition of our dinner-parties. Mrs. Tighty's place was known and assured, always excepting under the before-mentioned circumstances, which did not often occur; besides, when they did occur, she had only to be taken down one peg lower, and all was right. But Mrs. Highty was always getting in the way. If we asked her to dinner, we must be sure that there was somebody to hand her, not inferior, or not much interior, in consequence to the personage whose right it was to escort Mrs. Tighty. In the drawing-room there must be a sort of throne or seat, just half a step lower, as it were, ready for Mrs. Highty to sink into at the same moment that Mrs. Tighty took the chair of state reserved for her on the other side of the fireplace. The anxious hostess or her daughter had to be on the watch that coffee was handed to Mrs. Highty before any one of lower rank got a chance of it. The Highty and Tighty carriages must be announced as nearly as possible at the same moment; and in wishing her guests farewell, the hostess must be careful to measure out her gratitude for the favor conferred by their visit in nicely balanced proportion. In fact she had not a moment's

Alas! how short-lived was our joy! In the first place, we soon found that now we must give two parties in place of one. If Mrs. Highty was asked to dinner this week, her rival must be invited the next, and, which was still more troublesome, repasts of equal splendor and guests of

both entertainments. For though the two ladies might pass each other when they did chance to meet with so slight a mutual recognition as might be supposed to denote the utmost indifference to each oth. er's existence, we knew very well from authentic sources of intelligence, that each was devoured by a jealous curiosity to hear the smallest details of the party given in honor of the other. And as it was next to impossible that both parties should be precisely alike in their histories and combination, we were constantly giving of. fence. The plot, in fact, was thickening, though not one of us could have told what was the thread of the story in which, as in a labyrinth of cross-purposes, we were becoming involved, and a feud which threatened to undermine the whole fabric of our society was slowly but surely spreading. For I need hardly point out that, whereas we had at one time laboriously but not unsuccessfully tried to be loyal to a joint monarchy, we now naturally took part with one or the other sovereign. The people invited to meet Mrs. Tighty were very apt to think that their banquet was less sumptuous than that given a few days before to the hostile faction of Highty. And thus things went on until there was hardly a house in our part of the county in which the old pleasant relations had not been altered, and into which envy, malice, and uncharitableness had not found their way.

Matters were in this condition when a modest little villa in our neighborhood, which was usually let to summer lodgers, was taken by a lady of whom nothing more was known than that her name was Mrs. Smith. Soon, however, our igno

even

"My good friends, you know you never leave my table without kindly joining his old mother in wishing health to my dear son, who is still far away from us. But to-day I want you to drink health before we speak of John to Major Smith, the husband of this lady whom I've now the pleasure of introducing to you. And I'm sure you'll do so heartily when I tell you that he's the Major Smith who distinguished himself so at the battle of ; and he's the man who saved my boy's life, and who got the Victoria cross; and he's been made a C.B. and he'll be a K.C.B., I haven't a doubt, if " but here her words were drowned in a tempest of applause. To be sure, we had all heard of the brave Major Smith, and we were all delighted to drink his health and to see his wife. And after this there could be no doubt about our calling on her, and asking her to our parties and everything.

rance was dispelled. At first none of us guest, and some putting aside, as it had thought of even calling on her. But seemed, on Lady 's part of an argua certain old lady who, if she had not been ment or remonstrance from Mrs. Smith. too old and infirm to go out visiting, would" Nonsense, nonsense, my dear," she was rightfully have taken precedence even of heard to say; "I want everybody to the Hon. Mrs. Tighty, and who sometimes know." Then she took her glass in hand, saw company at home, invited us all to a and spoke. great luncheon party, at which, to our amazement and even consternation, we beheld a modest-looking, shabbily-dressed little woman, handed to the luncheon-table by our hostess herself. This was her way of indicating the personage whom she considered of most consequence amongst her guests; and so well versed was she known to be in the laws of etiquette, that her preference of any one to such an honor was always accepted as a sort of social diploma of rank. And on this occasion who should the upstart be before whom even Mesdames Highty and Tighty had to veil their haughty crests, but this most insignificant and unknown Mrs. Smith! We were all stupefied. Was the stranger a duchess or princess in disguise, or - could our benevolent but slightly eccentric hostess design to teach us all a lesson on the vanity of human greatness? If so, she had wofully mistaken her women. Already Mrs. Highty's brow was black, and even the less combustible Mrs. Tighty was beginning to swell with injured dignity. We onlookers were perhaps inclined after the first shock to enjoy the joke; but we all felt sorry for poor Mrs. Smith, on whom had been thrust this perilous distinction. If the idea of calling on the solitary denizen of Ivy Cottage had been about to suggest itself to any one, seeing that Lady had already taken compassion on her, it must now be completely abandoned. We had enough to do with our two factions. Which of us would venture to tackle this third bone of contention? As for Lady 's unaccountable caprice, we could only ascribe it to the weakness of advancing age.

But we were wrong. The old lady knew what she was about, and guessed, moreover, what was in our minds. When luncheon was over, but before we rose from table, she claimed silence, and announced that she was going to propose a toast. We were accustomed to her kindly, old-fashioned ways, but we now felt that something more was coming than the usual health to absent friends, or mention of the brave son in India, of whose glories we were scarcely less proud than his fond old mother. We had seen some whispering between her and her unknown

This was all very well, and through the following week carriages and cards poured down on Ivy Cottage. But human nature remains human nature, and etiquette remains etiquette, and precedence is a prize not to be lightly relinquished. So, could it be expected that Mrs. Tighty, not to speak of Mrs. Highty, could meekly resign the honors hitherto held so undisputedly except between themselves without a struggle?

I need not say with what untiring zeal we discussed the question amongst ourselves as to whether a C.B.'s wife ought or ought not to walk before a baronet's or a peer's daughter. "Peerages" are expensive books, as everybody knows, and none of us were very rich. But to my certain knowledge there was a sudden importation of red books into the country; and those who had none, and grudged buying them, made long pilgrimages, as in olden times, to some shrine where a sight might be procured of the sacred volume. Yet even then we were not quite happy. The V.C. complicated the matter. Also, did not the service done to Lady

-'s gallant son, our own county hero, increase the weight of our responsibilities? We thought and talked, we studied tables of precedence, we wrote to the Queen, getting back snubbing answers for our

pains, and being dreadfully afraid lest our new visitor was shown in was dismay at friends should pierce the mystery of our the impossibility of providing her with a pseudonym, and laugh at us for doing comfortable chair unless Mrs. Tighty vawhat they were perhaps going to do them-cated the one which with some trouble I selves. We tried to invent new ways of had provided for her, for I was about to paying due reverence to our three lumina change my house, and my rooms were ries, and keeping them from falling foul being dismantled of furniture. And as of each other and producing general chaos. the Highty equipage drew up at my door, And in the midst of all this commotion I had seen Mrs. Tighty settle herself still we heard that Mrs. Highty and Mrs. more stiffly and squarely in her armchair. Tighty had been reconciled to each other, What was I to do? and were making common cause against the intruder on their rights. This, at least, was one good thing, even though it did not help us much in our difficulties.

She

the child was sinking. There was no want of help, if human help could have saved her. The mother could only sit by her as if her mute agony of clinging love could baffle the fate that was to separate them. But doctor, nurse, and pitying friends were all at hand, and everything that could be done was done in vain.

But before I had time to stammer out the apology I had been hastily devising, Mrs. Highty sat down on a three-legged stool that somebody had brought from the As for Mrs. Smith, she seemed strangely kitchen. "Oh," she exclaimed, "what do indifferent to the honors thrust upon her. you think! Poor dear little Bessie Smith This was a little exasperating, consider- has taken diphtheria. She's very ill, and ing the trouble she was giving us. On her poor mother is helpless with terror. the whole, we did not care much for her, I've just been at Ivy Cottage and seen though she was inoffensive enough. It her. She's absolutely stupefied. was inconvenient, too, to be obliged often says the child never had a day's illness to include her little girl in our invitations. before. I've offered to get a nurse for Mrs. Smith would not come either to her, for I believe Mrs. Smith is too beluncheon or garden party without bring-wildered to know what she's doing." ing her little daughter. She excused this It was too true. Soon we heard that on the ground that she had no nurse or governess with whom to leave the child, who was, I must also say, a well-behaved, good little thing, easily amused, and perfectly happy if allowed to sit quietly by her mother's knee. The two were devoted to each other, and if we thought Mrs. Smith rather stupid and commonplace, we could not but commend her training of her child. After some little time the ferment of our hospitality subsided, much I think to Mrs. Smith's relief. She was allowed to remain quietly with little Bessie at Ivy Cottage, and make herself happy with the child in her own way. Then as no third neutralizing element interposed between the two previously contending forces, we began to be afraid of a resumption of hostilities. But Mrs. Highty and Mrs. Tighty had been driven into each other's arms by stress of adverse circumstances, and could not all at once retreat from the friendship which had been re-established with so much apparent cordiality. But our experienced eyes could see that each lady had her high horse standing ominously near, and was prepared on the smallest provocation to mount that warlike steed; and we felt that, after all, the termination of such a hollow truce must soon be looked for.

Suddenly one day a rumor spread amongst us. It was Mrs. Highty who brought me the first news. Mrs. Tighty was sitting with me at the time, and I remember that my first feeling when my

During these brief but most sorrowful three days there was scarcely an hour of the day during which one or other of us was not at Ivy Cottage. It was absolutely necessary that some one should take charge not only of the sick-room, but of the miserable, paralyzed mother. We relieved one another. Mrs. Highty and Mrs. Tighty took their turns of watching and attendance, and shared with one another the duty of providing the proper stimulants and nourishment which Mrs. Smith was unable to think of. And as they had been foremost in efforts to save her, they stood nearest one another when we followed little Bessie to her quiet grave.

Mrs. Smith rejoined her husband in India. There was rejoicing amongst us last year when we heard that another daughter had been sent to comfort them. Mrs. Highty and Mrs. Tighty are the two godmothers.

I do not say that between these ladies there never arises a shade of animosity which reminds one of the old vendetta. But they are good Churchwomen both; and as every Sunday they walk up the